Vocal Organs Work to Make Sounds? Speech

¶ … vocal organs work to make sounds?

Speech is a physical action and the process of articulating sound draws upon multiple organ systems of the body. "The central organs involved in the production of speech sounds include: the lungs, larynx, and vocal tract (the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and pharynx)" (Hurley 1996). The larynx consists of vocal folds and as air passes through them "if the vocal folds are held together and tense and air doesn't pass unobstructed, the sounds produced this way are call voiced" versus unvoiced (whispered) speech (Hurley 1996).

Then, as the air enters the mouth region, "the tongue, lips, teeth, and various regions of the mouth constitute points of articulation in the oral cavity" (Hurley 1996). Sounds may either be oral or nasal in nature: "in oral sounds most air is expelled via the oral cavity (mouth). Typically the velum [soft palate] is raised at the back of the mouth to block the passage of air into the nasal cavity" (Hurley 1996). Orally-produced words are words such as "cat, bat, sag" while with nasal sound the velum is lowered, "to allow airflow through the nasal cavity. In English, nasal consonants are accompanied by the blocking of airflow through the oral cavity" in words such as "can, mat, and sang" (Hurley 1996). Depending on the language, there may be different proportions of oral and nasal sounds. And, a final component of the speech process is the brain, which determines how and why the different sounds will be shaped and ordered, although the brain may be limited by the ability of the vocal organs to produce sound (such as when a person has laryngitis).

Q2. How do we hear?

Hearing is complex, although unwilled process, that draws upon some of the tiniest organs and bones in the human body. Disruptions to any component of the hearing organs can impact the ability of a person to hear. The human ear "is made up of a conductive pathway which includes the outer and middle ear and the neural nerve pathway that includes the inner ear and auditory nerve" (How do we hear, 2013, Australian Hearing). The outer ear serves to 'funnel' sounds and consists of an external flap of skin (pinna) and cartilage which leads to the ear canal. The inner ear houses more critical organs involved in hearing: the eardrum, an "air-filled cavity that includes three middle ear bones" in the form of what are called the anvil and stirrup because of their shapes; "oval and round window membranes" and the "Eustachian tube" which allows for the adjustment of air pressure in the ear (How do we hear, 2013, Australian Hearing).